


Gone To Market

by ritalara



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 23:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17032122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ritalara/pseuds/ritalara
Summary: FitzSimmons Farmers Market AU





	Gone To Market

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr called for a Farmers Market AU. I answered.

“Simmons, he’s here.” 

Daisy was less than stealth as she hissed in to her friends ear.

Jemma slowed but did not move as she perused the produce in front of her.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see the simple banner across his stall, where a humble assortment of eggs & dairy were laid out plainly.

_ Farm Fresh Fitz _

“Okay, now you have to look,” Daisy whispered, nudging Jemma, “He’s positively staring at you.”

“Daisy hush,” Jemma warned, becoming slightly embarrassed.

“Jem-ma Sim-mons.”

Daisy pinched the back side of her arm and Jemma snapped back at her under her breath.

“Just because you only come here to flirt with all the merchants doesn’t mean I’m so easily enthralled.”

“You certainly didn’t mind Trip’s advances last week.”

Jemma rolled her eyes before chancing a look over to the stand that held an assortment of homemade pies, where Trip stood helping customers.

“We were just being social - if anything he was flirting with you.”

“I think Trip flirts with everyone.”

Bobbi, another farmer's market familiar, joined them - a basket of kale, spinach & bok choi on her arm.

“See.”

Jemma tried to move away, smiling at the woman who owned the small selection of artisanal honey next to the fruit stand.

“I thought you had eyes for the new guy,” Bobbi added, picking up a plum and pressing it to her nose.

Jemma opened her mouth to protest when the honey purveyor piped in.

“He’s been looking at her all morning.”

Jemma looked at Elena with exasperation.

“Hunter said he moved here recently. He’s from the UK - Scotland - inherited a relative’s farm and his stall.”

At this point Bobbi & Daisy were playing no pretense - eyeing the young man pointedly.

“Did he inherit that name too?” Daisy teased, eyeing his sign.

“Oh no that was ALL Hunter.”

Jemma had not responded, focused intently on the jars of infused nectar in front of her.

“Hunter’s had a lot more luck since he punched up his marketing so he thought he’d offer a hand there.”

Finally Jemma looked up and eyed the sign above the neighboring stand -  _ Hunter & Gatherer  _ \- and the selection of fresh & dried mushrooms and soup stocks at his stall.

“It’s quite clever. His soups are really good. He’s said the secret is -”

“Chicken bouillon,” Bobbi finished.

“You seem to know a lot about what Hunter’s up to,” Daisy intimated, her eyebrows bouncing on her forehead.

Bobbi shrugged.

“He’s quite fun to be around when you can shut him up for a few minutes...or hours...” 

Her lips moved in to a smile and Daisy cracked a wide grin as nudged Jemma again.

“See - love at the farmer’s market! Let’s go say hi - we even have a reason,” she gestured toward Bobbi.

“Daisy we don't need any mushrooms...or eggs.”

“Yes we do. Mushroom quiche. It's on the menu this week.”

“It is not - I don’t... “

“It is now.” 

Daisy and Bobbi partnered to gently guide Jemma across the walkway.

“Bob!”

Hunter’s eyes lit up as the three women walked towards him and he jumped out from behind his table to greet her.

“Lucky me!” he continued, kissing her quickly, then giving Jemma & Daisy each a quick bus on the cheek.

“Three beautiful women at my stand on a Friday afternoon. The odds are in our favor today, ay Fitzy?”

Hunter looked to Fitz who nodded, his hand stuffed in his pockets, and though she couldn’t explain why, Jemma fought a growing grin.

“So what are you lovely ladies up to today?” Hunter asked.

“Well I ran in to Daisy & Jemma over here and they were asking about Fitz’s sign - weren’t you?” Bobbi said, extending the conversation to Daisy.

“Really more Simmons - she thought it was quite catchy, didn’t you?”

Daisy took a step back while at the same time nudging Jemma forward and Jemma nearly rolled her eyes. 

It was all starting to be a bit much. 

She was nearly being treated like a teenager, her friends pushing her out at a school dance in front of an awkward boy. She was better than this.

She gave him a once over, taking in the handsome plaid of his red button up, and spoke to him directly.

“Bobbi was telling us that Hunter helped you with your sign - is that right?”

“You’re British,” he commented with surprise.

“Seems you are too.”

She saw Hunter crack a mile wide grin to her right and Fitz’s smile grew as well.

“Mmhmm. Glasgow. Born & raised. You?”

“Sheffield. My parents still live there. I came to the states for culinary school.”

“I just moved a few months ago. My mum’s still back home. Apparently my...my father, he, um, he had a uncle, or - a great uncle I suppose - owned a farm here - left it to me and...” 

He shrugged as he trailed off.

“That must be fascinating - what did you do before this?”

“Oh - um - engineering - well, I was an engineering student. Planning to get in to aeronautical engineering. A bit of a left turn.”

“Really? Not so odd I suppose... I was majoring in chemistry & biology before I decided to become a pastry chef. My parents are in medicine - my whole family really - thought I'd go that route, but...then I fell in love - with cooking.”

She wasn’t sure why she’d felt the need to clarify that, but when Fitz grinned unwittingly she smiled back too. 

Neither of them noticed the other three had wandered back over to Hunter’s setup, and Jemma continued.

“You have to tell me all about dairy farming - it must be quite a bit of work.”

“It is,” Fitz sighed, relaxing.

“There’s a team though - they really run the show. Mack is in charge of everything back at the farm. So far the most use I’ve been is coming to the market each weekend to get our wares out.”

“Not quite how you pictured your life I imagine?” Jemma inquired.

“Well, I - do you, do you want to sit?” Fitz asked, gesturing to a small stool next to him.

“Oh no, I couldn't impose - I -” Jemma stopped herself. 

She was quite curious to hear more about his farming exploits.

“ - well I suppose if you don’t mind - I’d love to hear more about what life on the farm is like...”

Fitz pulled out the stool and rummaged around to grab himself a crate to sit on next to her.

She came around behind his table to sit down and he extended his hand.

“Leopold Fitz, Farmer”

“Jemma Simmons, Chef”

“Nice to meet you Jemma Simmons,” he smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

“It’s nice to meet you, Leopold Fitz,” she grinned, her cheeks beginning to ache.

“You can call me Fitz.”

“Jemma.”

___

As the morning turned in to afternoon, the two of them talked about pastries, cooking, eggs, farming, science, engineering, chemistry, England, Scotland and intercontinental travel. Jemma helped Fitz with a few sales and he introduced her to some of his regulars. 

She barely noticed that Daisy & Bobbi had wandered off until they returned as the sun was falling low in the sky towards the horizon.

“Hey - we’re going to meet up with Trip & Lincoln to get some beers after you’re all shut down here,” Daisy informed them.

Bobbi was already helping Hunter pack up and Fitz looked up at them all in a slight daze.

“Oh goodness, is it already 4pm?” Jemma reached over to pull Fitz’s watch toward her, and her cold hands radiated a surprising tingle through his wrist.

“Did you - did you have somewhere to be?” Fitz asked.

“Oh - I, it’s - well, sort of - I just got very little of my shopping done and I’ll be in the kitchen early tomorrow morning.”

“I can help!”

He stood up quickly & awkwardly and began shutting down his counter.

Daisy held back a chuckle as she held up multiple brown paper bags full of goods.

“I’ve got you covered Simmons. Berries for compote, leeks & onions for egg bites, pumpkin puree, carrots, squash & sweet potato for harvest muffins & spinach for smoothies.”

Jemma’s jaw nearly dropped in gratitude.

“Daisy! Thank you! We’ll need to get everything back to the kitchen though.”

“My van,” Fitz interjected.

“I’ve got a refrigerated truck. You could - I mean, if you like, you could - you could store everything there and I could - erm, I could take you there - later - if you, if that’s not - I mean -”

“That sounds great,” Daisy answered, shoving the bags at Fitz.

___

“What do you mean you almost failed out?” Jemma asked, aghast.

“It was rudimentary, I was bored I suppose,” he shrugged.

Jemma & Fitz had found themselves off in a corner again, sipping at their pints, telling tall tales of their time at university.

  
“I’m beginning to think you’re a bit of a certified genius Leo Fitz,” Jemma teased with a quizzical eye.

His face did the shrugging that time and her puckered grin grew to a smile then a quiet laugh. 

Their gaze locked for a moment and she felt her cheeks redden as she began to bite her lip. His smile was stuck on his face as neither of them looked away and it was only an interruption from an interloper that knocked them out of their reverie.

“Jemma Simmons - where have you been all evening?”

A man sauntered up with the world’s most charming smile, decorated by what must of been the whitest teeth Fitz had ever seen.

“Trip - hi - this is Fitz,” Jemma answered.

Fitz reached out a hand to share a terse shake with him.

“Fitz - hey, nice to put a name to the face.”

He looked between them and his skills of deduction did not fail him.

“Didn’t mean to interrupt anything - you two alright over here? Need a drink, or...?”

“Oh no, I think we’re okay...?” Jemma looked to Fitz with genuine curiosity and his expression softened.

“We’re alright - thanks mate,” he added.

Trip threw him a wink and began to turn around.

“Just holler if you two love birds need anything.”

Neither of them saw his self-satisfied smile as he walked away, but both of their cheeks flushed as he departed.

They each busied themselves with the cocktail napkins on the table until Jemma spoke.

“It's a bit uncanny isn’t it, that we’ve barely stopped talking to each other for hours?”

Fitz looked up, a quickly forming straw figurine between his fingers.

“It’s brilliant.”

Her skin pebbled at the look in his eyes and she couldn’t help the wave the rushed across her.

“It is isn’t it?”

His eyes began to bore a hole through her, bright, blue & piercing, and Jemma felt her breath become labored as she felt the air around her thicken.

“Jemma, I - “

“Fitz, do you - “

He stopped, enthralled, and she stifled a giggle.

“Fitz would you like to see my kitchen?”

“Absolutely.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been sitting on this waiting until the tag needed it. I regret nothing.


End file.
